Nebraska short line marks 20 years

The Nebraska Central Railroad Co. (NCRC) says it will commemorate "20 years of excellence" through a series of celebratory activities that will be held Sunday, Sept. 15, 2013, in its headquarters city of Norfolk, Neb.

NCRC, a Class III short line railroad, operates across 340 track miles in the central portion of Nebraska from Columbus to Grand Island, Neb. NCRC routes include five former Union Pacific Railroad branch lines and one former BNSF Railway branch line that extend north as far as Norfolk and south through Polk to Brainard, Neb. The railroad also has 70 miles of trackage rights on UP's main line between North Platte and Omaha, Neb.

The railroad hopes to gather employees and their families, retirees, customers, UP representatives, and city officials to mark the short line's anniversary.

"As we move forward with our vision of providing excellent service for our customers and the community, we need to remember where we have been," said CEO Richard Bertel. "I'm pleased that we can come together as a family to celebrate the railroad's growth, and I look forward to NCRC contributing to the area's prosperity in the coming years."

NCRC says its employs more than 100 employees, and hauls about 8.5 million gross tons annually, averaging more than 130,000 cars interchanged each year. Corn, sand, ethanol, and scrap and steel manufactured products are among the commodities handled.